Receive the Holy Spirit: Reflections on the Readings for the Sunday of Divine Mercy Second Sunday of Easter

Acts 5:12-26
Psalm 118
Revelation 1:9-11a, 12-13, 17-19
John 20:19-31

(Note: The psalm and the gospel for the Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday, are constant, the first and second readings vary by yearly cycle.)

“When St. Pope John Paul canonized Sr. Faustina (making her St. Faustina), he also, on the same day, surprised the entire world by establishing Divine Mercy Sunday (the feast day associated with the message) as a feast day for the entire Church. The feast day falls on the Second Sunday of the Easter season.” (Source here)

A good summary of the history behind the image, St. Faustina, the devotion, and so on can be found here.

All of the sacraments are significant and important. The sacrament of Divine Mercy, one of the sacraments of healing, is the forgiveness of sins in the sacrament of Penance. Our ability to be forgiven for our sins was bought and paid for dearly by the Blood of Our Lord. Sins can only be forgiven by God. That is why, in the sacrament of Penance, through the priest acting “in persona Christi” (in the person of Christ) it is actually Christ who forgives, using the priest as the instrument of mercy.

Two things that are signs of divinity are miracles and forgiveness of sins. Jesus, true God and true man, continues to act through His apostles, even after His Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven. We see this in the first reading where the apostles performed “many signs and wonders” (“sign” was the term John used in his gospel for the miracles Jesus performed).

By their lives, going to the Temple, walking the streets, they were witnessing to the “Way” of Jesus. Recall Jesus at the Last Supper telling them, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by me.” (Jn 14:6) In the notes for the New American Bible, from which we get our Mass readings, it says: “The truth: in John, the divinely revealed reality of the Father manifested in the person and works of Jesus.”

George Weigel tells us, “… evangelism begins with witness, not argument.” (The Irony of Modern Catholic History) This is certainly brought out in this reading from Acts of the Apostles, as we read, “but the people esteemed them. Yet more than ever, believers in the Lord, great numbers of men and women, were added to them.” Consequently, the sick and those disturbed by unclean spirits brought out to them were cured.

Once again we read from psalm 118, one of the “Hallel” psalms. As this was probably one of the psalms read or sung at the Last Supper, it is certainly appropriate for Eastertide as Jesus’ Resurrection is a fulfillment of this psalm, truly an example of God’s everlasting love. Jesus’ Resurrection is the Victory over death and Satan. He has conquered the world (John 16:33). It is proof of God’s saving mercy, which endures forever. Therefore, as “This is the day the LORD has made; let us be glad and rejoice in it.”

In the reading from Revelation, John has a vision reminiscent to that of Daniel (see Daniel 7:9–14). Scott Hahn explains the meaning of John’s vision of Jesus: “Jesus is clad in the robe of a High Priest (see Exodus 28:4; Wisdom 18:24) and wearing the gold sash of a king (see 1 Maccabees 10:89). He has been exalted by the right hand of the Lord, as we sing in today’s Psalm.”

John collapses at the sight but Jesus, as He so often did during His time on earth, touched him and said, “Do not be afraid.” Jesus then further identifies Himself as “the first and the last, the one who lives.” He is the Resurrected Lord, “Once I was dead, but now I am alive forever and ever.” At the end of Revelation, Jesus also identifies Himself as the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega. (Revelation 22:13) These echo the words of Isaiah pertaining to God, “I, the LORD, am the first, and at the last I am He.” (Isaiah 44:6, 41:4, 48:12)

In the gospel reading we get the key connection to Divine Mercy. First, Jesus breathes on the disciples and says, “receive the Holy Spirit.” Although Thomas was absent, he too, benefits from this gift (see Numbers 11:26). Jesus also connects them directly with His mission, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Having connected the Apostles directly to Him and His mission from the Father, He then empowers them to be instruments of His mercy. “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” Note that the authority to forgive also includes the authority to withhold forgiveness.

“From that day on, the remedy for human sin and guilt was to be a humble confession to one having authority to forgive.” (Sheen, Life of Christ)

Thomas, having heard from his brethren of Jesus’ Resurrection, was still skeptical, telling them he needed physical evidence for his senses; touching, seeing, and manipulating Him in order to believe. The next time they are together, and Jesus appears among them, knowing of Thomas’ skepticism, Jesus directs him to look and inspect the wounds, including putting his hand into His side. “Thomas answered and said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’”

“He who was the last to believe, was the first to make the full confession of the Divinity of the Risen Savior.” (Sheen, Life of Christ)

There are many places in the gospels where Jesus indicates that His Church had a mission far into the future, such as when He instituted the Eucharist (“do this in remembrance of Me”), and His commission to teach the world (Matthew 28:18-20). This is another. During the Last Supper while Jesus was praying to the Father on behalf of His disciples He said, ““I pray not only for them, but also for those who will believe in me through their word.” Now Jesus builds on that saying to Thomas, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

Another important element of this selection is John’s closing statement: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.” This clearly indicates that not everything Jesus taught was included in the Scripture (consider that, at the time of this writing, John probably already knew of one or more of the three synoptic gospels as they had been written several years earlier). This is one of the reasons that Catholics do not believe in Sacred Scripture alone but also consider Sacred Tradition as an important aspect of the Faith. A further indication is when John describes Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit: “But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth.” (John 16:13)

Thus the Holy Spirit guides the Church through the ages.